• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.33 no.6_3
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• pp.1215-1221
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• 2017

SeNtinel's Application Platform (SNAP) is an open source software developed by the European Space Agency and consists of several toolboxes that process data from Sentinel satellite series, including SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) and optical satellites. Among them, S1TBX (Sentinel-1 ToolBoX)is mainly used to process Sentinel-1A/BSAR images and interferometric techniques. It provides flowchart processing method such as Graph Builder, and has convenient functions including automatic downloading of DEM (Digital Elevation Model) and image mosaicking. Therefore, if computer memory is sufficient, InSAR (Interferometric SAR) and DInSAR (Differential InSAR) perform smoothly and are widely used recently in the world through rapid upgrades. S1TBX also includes existing SAR data processing functions, and since version 5, the processing capability of KOMPSAT-5 has been added. This paper shows an example of processing the interference technique of KOMPSAT-5 SAR image using S1TBX of SNAP. In the open mine of Tavan Tolgoi in Mongolia, the difference between DEM obtained in KOMPSAT-5 in 2015 and SRTM 1sec DEM obtained in 2000 was analyzed. It was found that the maximum depth of 130 meters was excavated and the height of the accumulated ore is over 70 meters during 15 years. Tidal and topographic InSAR signals were observed in the glacier area near Jangbogo Antarctic Research Station, but SNAP was not able to treat it due to orbit error and DEM error. In addition, several DInSAR images were made in the Iraqi desert region, but many lines appearing in systematic errors were found on coherence images. Stacking for StaMPS application was not possible due to orbit error or program bug. It is expected that SNAP can resolve the problem owing to a surge in users and a very fast upgrade of the software.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.196-209
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• 2009

Occurrences of sandstorms in the deserts and loess of Mongolia and northern China and associated dustfall episodes in the Korean Peninsula were monitored during the period January through December, 2005. False colour images were made by directly receiving the NOAA Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data, and the distribution and transport of sandstorms were analyzed. The ground concentrations for PM10, PM2.5 and visibility of the dustfall episodes (PM10 concentration over $190{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$) were analyzed at Cheongwon, located midway in South Korea, and in the leeward direction of the place of origin of the sandstorms. Variations in the concentrations of $O_3,\;NO_2$, CO and $SO_2$ were also compared with dust concentrations in the dustfall episodes. Fewer occurrences of strong sandstorms in the place of origin were observed in 2005, due largely to the accumulation of snow and mild fluctuations of high and low pressure systems in the place of origin, thereby accounting for a low frequency of dustfall episodes in Korea, compared with those during the period 1997-2005. A total of 7 dustfall episodes were monitored in Korea in 2005 that lasted 11 days. In summer, sandstorms occurred less frequently in the source region in 2005 due to high humidity and milder winds, thereby causing no dustfall episodes in Korea. In case the sandstorms occurring at the place of source head directly to Korea without passing through large cities and industrial areas of China, the PM2.5 concentrations were measured at 20% or lower than the PM10 concentrations. However, when the sandstorms headed to Korea via the industrial areas of eastern China, where they pick up anthropogenic air pollutants, the PM2.5 concentrations were at least 25% higher of the PM10 concentrations. On the other hand, over 5 cases were observed and analyzed in 2005 where the PM10 concentrations of sand dust originating from the deserts were measured at $190{\mu}g\;m^{-3}$ or lower, falling short of the level of a dustfall episode.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.693-710
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• 2013

This study investigates the distribution of suspended particulates during the Asian dust period in Busan, Korea in the spring of 2009. Weather map and automatic weather system (AWS) data were used to analyze the synoptic weather conditions during the period. Particulate matter 10, laser particle counter data, satellite images and a backward trajectories model were used to analyze the aerosol particles distribution and their origins. In Case 1 (20 February 2009), when the $PM_{10}$ concentration increased, the aerosol volume distribution of small ($0.3-1.0{\mu}m$) particles decreased, while the concentration of large ($1.0-10.0{\mu}m$) particles increased. When the $PM_{10}$ concentration decreased, the aerosol volume distribution was observed to decrease as well. The prevailing winds changed from weak northerly winds to strong southwesterly winds when the concentration of the large particles increased. The correlation coefficient between the $PM_{10}$ concentration and aerosol volume distribution of large particles showed a high positive value of over 0.9. The results from the trajectory model show that the Asian dust originated in the Gobi desert and the Nei Mongol plateau. In Case 2 (25 April 2009), when the $PM_{10}$ concentration increased, the aerosol volume concentration of small ($0.3-0.5{\mu}m$) particles decreased, but the concentration of large ($0.5-10.0{\mu}m$) particles increased. The opposite was observed when the $PM_{10}$ concentration decreased. The prevailing winds changed from northeasterly winds to southwesterly and northeasterly winds. The correlation coefficient between the $PM_{10}$ concentration and aerosol volume distribution of large particles ($1.0-10.0{\mu}m$) showed a high positive value of about 0.9. The results from the trajectory model show that the Asian dust originated in Manchuria and the eastern coast of China.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.600-607
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• 2010

In 2008, multiple episodes of large-scale transport of natural airborne particles and anthropogenically affected particles from different sources in the East Asian continent were identified in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite RGB-composite images and the mass concentrations of ground level particulate matters. To analyze the aerosol size distribution during the large-scale transport of atmospheric aerosols, both aerosol optical depth (AOD; proportional to the aerosol total loading in the vertical column) and fine aerosol weighting (FW; fractional contribution of fine aerosol to the total AOD) of Moderate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) aerosol products were used over the East Asian region. The six episodes of massive natural airborne particles were observed at Cheongwon, originating from sandstorms in northern China, Mongolia and the loess plateau of China. The $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ stood at 70% and 16% of the total mass concentration of TSP, respectively. However, the mass concentration of $PM_{2.5}$ among TSP increased as high as 23% in the episode in which they were flowing in by way f the industrial area in east China. In the other five episodes of anthropogenically affected particles that flowed into the Korean Peninsula from east China, the mass concentrations of $PM_{10}$ and $PM_{2.5}$ among TSP reached 82% and 65%, respectively. The average AOD for the large-scale transport of anthropogenically affected particle episodes in the East Asian region was measured at $0.42{\pm}0.17$ compared with AOD ($0.36{\pm}0.13$) for the natural airborne particle episodes. Particularly, the regions covering east China, the Yellow Sea, the Korean Peninsula, and the east Korean sea were characterized by high levels of AOD. The average FW values observed during the event of anthropogenically affected aerosols ($0.63{\pm}0.16$) were moderately higher than those of natural airborne particles ($0.52{\pm}0.13$). This observation suggests that anthropogenically affected particles contribute greatly to the atmospheric aerosols in East Asia.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.269-279
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• 2012

Satellite-retrieved data on Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and ${\AA}$ngstr$\ddot{o}$m exponent (AE) using a Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) were used to analyze large-scale distributions of atmospheric aerosols in East Asia. AOD was relatively high in March ($0.44{\pm}0.25$) and low in September ($0.24{\pm}0.21$) in the East Asian region in 2009. Sandstorms originating from the deserts and dry areas in Northern China and Mongolia were transported on a massive scale during the springtime, thus contributing to the high AOD in East Asia. Although $PM_{10}$ with diameters ${\leq}10{\mu}m$ was the highest in February at Anmyon, Cheongwon and Ulleung, which is located leeward about half-way through the Korean Peninsula, AOD rose to a high in May. The growth of hygroscopic aerosols moving with increases in relative humidity prior to the Asian monsoon season contributed to a high AOD level in May. AE typically reaches its highest value ($1.30{\pm}0.37$) in August due to anthropogenic aerosols originating from industrial areas in Eastern China, while AOD stays low in summer due to the removal process caused by rainfall. The linear correlation coefficients of the MODIS AOD and ground-based mass concentrations of $PM_{10}$ at Anmyon, Cheongwon and Ulleung were 0.4-0.6. Four cases (six days) of mineral dustfall from sandstorms and six cases (twelve days) of anthropogenically polluted particles were observed in the central area of the Korean Peninsula in 2009. $PM_{10}$ mass concentrations increased at both Anmyon and Cheongwon in the cases of mineral dustfall and anthropogenically polluted particles. Cases of dustfall from sandstorms and anthropogenic polluted particles, with increasing $PM_{10}$ mass concentrations, exhibited higher AOD values in the Yellow Sea region.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.134-140
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• 2012

Asian dust storms originating in the arid desert of China and Mongolia usually occur from late winter through spring, and more than one million tons of dust per year is transported to the Korean Peninsula by the prevalent westerly winds. We supposed that these dust particles could include bioaerosols and act as carriers of microorganisms. In order to clarify the dynamics of microorganisms moving with these particles, the concentration and composition of microorganisms associated with settled particles were compared between samples collected during Asian dust events and those under non-dust periods. From February to April 2008, settled dust particles were collected at one location in Ulsan using rainfall meter of 200 mm diameter. During this period, there was one Asian dust event in Ulsan. The bacterial concentrations were higher in samples collected during Asian dust event than those under non-dust period, whereas fungal concentrations were rather similar regardless of the Asian dust event. We analyzed 16S rRNA gene sequences of 45 bacterial isolates obtained from the settled particle samples. These isolates belonged to either genus Bacillus or genus Streptococcus and were tentatively identified as B. amyloliquefaciens, B. aryabhattai, B. atrophaeus, B. licheniformis, B. megaterium, B. methylotrophicus, B. pumilus, B. sonorensis, B. subtlis, B. vallismortis, S. epidermidis, and S. succinus. In cases of fungal isolates, genera such as Mucor, Alternaria, Cladosporium, and Aspergillus were tentatively identified from samples collected at both Asian dust and non-Asian dust periods. It appears that endospore-forming bacteria such as Bacillus sp. rather than fungal spores are more likely to be associated with Asian dust particles.